Sabke Ram: In a significant move, senior Congress leaders Deepender Hooda, Supriya Shrinate, Avinash Pande, and Ajay Rai paid obeisance at Ayodhyas Hanuman Garhi temple on Monday, a day before the commencement of rituals for the January 22 Ram temple consecration ceremony. #WATCH | Uttar Pradesh: On his visit to Hanuman Garhi Temple in Ayodhya, Congress leader Deepender Hooda says, I have come here on the occasion of Makar Sankranti to seek blessings of Lord Ram... I came here last year as well... I will not take any political questions on this… pic.twitter.com/KixnYcHuLc— ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2024Their dip in the Saryu river and temple visit served as a personal pilgrimage, devoid of overt political statements. I come from a culture where people greet each other with ram-ram, Hooda, a prominent Congress figure in Haryana, emphasized. Shrinate, from Uttar Pradesh, conveyed the sentiment, adding that visiting Ayodhya is a family tradition.#WATCH | Ayodhya: UP Congress President Ajay Rai along with party leaders Deepender Hooda, Supriya Shrinate and others offer prayers at Hanuman Garhi Temple. pic.twitter.com/jR1yedde5d— ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2024Speaking to ANI, Hooda said, I have come here on the occasion of Makar Sankranti to seek blessings of Lord Ram... I came here last year as well... I will not take any political questions on this pious land... We come from a culture where we greet each other with ram ram.आज मकर संक्रांति के अवसर पर एक बार पुनः अयोध्या पहुंचकर पवित्र सरयू नदी में स्नान कर माँ सरयू का आशीर्वाद प्राप्त करने का सौभाग्य मिला। pic.twitter.com/B8xyLUZSfn— Deepender S Hooda (@DeependerSHooda) January 15, 2024On the other hand, Supriya Shrinate said that visiting Ayodhya has been his family tradition. Shrinate said, I am from Poorvanchal, so whenever I go to Maharajganj from Lucknow, I visit Hanuman Garhi. We wish the Ram Rajya comes in this country. What is that Ram RajyaShe added, If situations of unemployment, injustice, inflation, and economic disparity persist in the country, the dream of Lord Ram is incomplete. We have come here to fulfill that vow. I pray that Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra takes inspiration from Lord Ram and delivers justice. Generations of my family have been visiting Ayodhya, and all my future generations will visit too.Congress to skip consecration ceremonyEarlier in January, Congress termed the consecration ceremony as a political event and alleged that the BJP and RSS were attempting to extract political benefits from religion. The grand old party also turned down the invitation to attend the highly anticipated event. Congress top leaders: Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Adhir Ranjan Choudhury were invited. In a statement, Congress said that the BJP and its ideological mentor RSS made the Ayodhya temple their political project. The official statement added, The inauguration of the incomplete temple by the leaders of the BJP and the RSS has been obviously brought forward for electoral gain. Over 7000 guests invited so farMeanwhile, the consecration preparations are in full swing. Over 7,000 guests, including Bollywood actors, business leaders, cricketers, and politicians, have been invited. Notable invitees like CPI chief D Raja and CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury have also declined the invitations as well.
